Draft-rigging



Patented July 26, 1898.

.nm DN MG Lm FR (Application led Jan. 7, 1898.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Mo'del.)

No. 607,843. Patented July 26, i898. G. G. FLOYD.

DRAFT RIGGING.

(Application med Jan. '7, 1398.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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WW l

-companying drawings, forming specification, in which- UNITED STATESrricn.

PATENT GEORGE G. FLOYD, OF SEDALIA, MISSOURI, ASSIGN OR TO THE VESTERNRAIIVAY EQUIPMENT COMPANY,

OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

DRAFT-RIGGlNG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 607,843, dated uly 26,1898.

Application ned January 7, 1898. serai No. 665,907. (No model.)

T all whowt t may concern:

Beit known that I, GEORGE G. FLOYD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Sedalia, in the county of Pettis and State of Missouri, havemade a certain new and useful Improvement in Draft-Riggin gs, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same, reference being had to the acpart of this Figure 1 is alongitudinal vertical sectional view through a portion of a car, showingmy improved draft-rigging in position. Fig. 2 is a top plan viewthereof, the flooring or decke ing being removed to more clearly showthe rigging beneath. Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of thecombination lug and followerplate. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal verticalsectional view through the same. Fig. 5 is a rear elevational View, andFig. 6 is a crosssectional view through the same.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in draft-riggingfor railroadcars, the object being to strengthen said rigging so as toresist the shock or impact while coupling.

With this object in view the invention consists in the construction,arrangement, and combination of the several parts, all as willhereinafter bedescribed and afterward pointed out in the claims.

My present invention contemplates the use of a casting employed instrengthening the framework of the structure of a car as well as forminga substantial bearing for the tierods used in bracing the draft-rigging,said Atie-rods also assisting in strengthening the said casting orfollower-plate, through which the tail-pin passes and against which thedraft-spring finds a bearing.

In the drawings, A indicates the iiooring or decking of a car-body; B,the end wall thereof; O, the end sill; D, the draft-sills; E, thedraft-timbers; G, the dead-wood; Il, the shank of a coupler; I, the key,which passes through the rear end of the couplershank, on the ends ofwhich key are arranged the rods of what is known as the Americancontinuous draft-rigging, K, the tailbolt of the coupler; L, thecombined fol- I lower -plate and lug, and M the tie-rods, which passthrough said follower-plate and lug and through the end sill anddead-wood. This combination lug and follower-plate is practicallyabox-like casting, which is shown more clearly in Figs. 3, 4, 5, and G.This casting consists of parallel side walls 1, from which projectlocking-ribs 2, adapted to fit in the old follower-plate recesses in thedrafttimbers.

3 indicates projections extending forwardly from the front wall 4 of thecasting to support the draft-timbers.

5 indicates an opening in the frontwall 4, which is strengthened by bossG, extending rearwardly from the front wall.

7 indicates the rear wall of the casting, whichv is formed with abeveled face 8 at its lower edge for the im pingement of the nuts on thetie-rods, said rear wall being also formed with a bossed opening 9,through which the tail-bolt passes. Suitable strengtheningwebs 10 arearranged inside the casting, and openings llare provided in the sidewalls for thel passage of through-bolts 12, which clamp the castingbetween the draft-timbers.

The side walls of the casting may be either grooved to receive thetie-rods or may be provided with cores 13, whichcores are axiallycoincident with the tie-rods. I prefer to inclose the rear ends of thetie-rods in this housing or core-that is, form metallic wallstherearound-to prevent the working and straining of the tie-rods fromwearing the drafttimbers. Y

In assembling the device the combination lug and follower is slipped upfrom beneath in between the draft-timbers and the bolts 12 inserted,which tend to clamp the draft-timbers on each side thereof. The tie-rodsare now introduced and the nuts on the ends thereof tightened, so as toplace said tie-rods under tensional strain and hold the combination lugand follower tightly in position. Suitable nut-locks may be provided forthe nuts on the ends of the tie-rods, if desired. The shank of thecoupler is now introduced through the carry-arm and the draft-springsinserted therebetween and the front wall of the combination lug andfollower. The usual IOO key may be passed through the rear end of thetail-bolt, and the continuous draft-rigging may now be placed inposition.

I am aware that I am not the first to employ a combination lug andfollower for use in draft-rigging, as the same forms the subject-matterof United States Letters Patent No. 583,554, granted to Andrew G.Steinbrenner on June 1, 1897, and therefore I do not wish to beunderstood as claiming anything set forth in said patent; nor do I wishto be understood as claiming anything set forth in the Cole and Grievespatent.

I am further aware that many minor changes in the construction,arrangement, and combination of the several parts of my device can bemade and substituted for those herein 'shown anddescribed without in theleast de- 2. A casting for use in freight-car draftrigging, the sameconsisting of parallel side walls which are cored or raisedlongitudinally for the passage of tie-rods, said side walls havinginterior stiffening-webs and exterior locking-ribs, and apertured frontWall, the front face of which forms a seat for the draftspring, theinner face of said front wall having a boss or flange around itsaperture and strengthening-webs, all of said parts being integral;substantially as described.

The combination with the end sill, of notched draft-timbers, a castingcomprising` parallel side walls having exterior lockingribs itting intothe notches in said drafttimbers, said side walls having cored openingsfor the passage of tie-rods, through-bolts for clamping thedraft-timbers to the sides of said casting, tie-rods which tie saidcasting to the end sill, a coupler tail-bolt which passes through thefront wall of said casting, and a draft-spring which finds a bearingagainst said front wall; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature, in the presence oftwo witnesses, this 27th day of December, 1897.

GEORGE G. FLOYD.

Witnesses:

O. P. FLOYD, A. R. EASTON, Jr.

